Silo filling attachment for an air sealed silo having a dome shaped roof



m 1 24 -u 9 m 5 A S 3 m e h S 2 Aug. 5, 1969 c. c. WEAVER ET AL SILOFILLING ATTACHMENT FOR AN AIR SEALED SILO HAVING A DOME SHAPED ROOFFiled Jan. 18, 1968 mrvavram. a/ r/s c? WEA VER ROBERTA-T KIRKPATRICKAug. 5, 1969 g, c WEAVER ET AL 3,459,457

SILO FILLING ATTACHMENT FOR AN AIR SEALED SILO HAVING A DOME SHAPED ROOFFiled Jan. 18, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 32 54 Z 0 A u o 36 a o if 4 7X ,0

a 0 n o o 7/ 0 0 0 n ouoouooooooooueoooououoo (2000 0000 00 I 40 o 1 l oo 5 22 M] L o l l //v l E/vraas (URI/5 c WE/l v54 ATTOAPNEX UnitedStates Patent Giiice 3,459,457 SILO FILLING ATTACHMENT FOR AN AIR SILOHAVING A DOME SHAPED Curtis (3. Weaver, 901 S. Congress, Polo, Ill.61064, and Robert E. Kirkpatrick, 101 Hickory Lane, Humboldt, Iowa 50548Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,974 Int. Cl. B65g 53/40; A01f 25/16;A23k 3/00 US. Cl. 302-60 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The silofilling attachment is intended for use with a silo of air sealed typesuch as the Harvestore silo made by Harvestore Products, Inc. ofArlington Heights, 111., and having a circular side wall and a domeshaped roof. The attachment includes a fill pipe or material guide waymember of an inverted channel shape positioned within a radial slotformed in the roof and extended from the outer edge of the roof to aposition spaced from the central portion of the roof. The guide way fromthe lower end of the slot progressively drops within the slot so thatthe upper end of the guide way is located below the roof and extendsinwardly of the silo to a position adjacent the central portion of thesilo. The guide way is secured in air sealed engagement with the sidewalls of the slot and has its lower end connected to the delivery end ofa material conveyor pipe that extends vertically along the outside ofthe silo wall. An air pipe arranged vertically to the outside of thesilo wall has its upper end open to the silo and secured to the roof.During silo filling the lower end of the air pipe is open to theatmosphere. After the silo has been filled both the conveyor pipe andthe air pipe have their lower ends air sealed by respective removablecover assemblies. A material distributing member within the silo ismovably supported on the guide way and is manipulated by a flexibleactuating element which is located within the air pipe with one endconnected to the distributing member and its other end connectable tothe air pipe within the lower end thereof.

Summary of the invention The silo filling attachment includes a materialfill pipe or guide way and an air pipe which remain secured to the siloand provide for filling the silo with rough or fine ensilage materialduring all weather conditions without any waste of material and withoutrequiring any climbing of the silo by persons in charge of the fillingoperation. Attachment of a material feed blower to the fill pipe,distribution of the ensilage material within the silo during a fillingoperation, gauging of the depth of the ensilage within the silo and theair sealing of the lower ends of the air pipe and fill pipe oncompletion of a silo filling operation are all accomplished from theground surface. Filling of the silo and the air sealing of the siloafter the filling are thus accomplished with maximum safety in a minimumof time.

Detailed description of the invention Further objects, features andadvantages of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a silo showing the attachment of thisinvention in assembly relation therewith;

3,459,457 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlargedperspective view of the silo roof showing the assembly of the attachmenttherewith;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the lower end of anair pipe which forms part of the attachment of this invention showing anair sealing cover means therefor;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the silo roof with parts broken awayshowing the assembly therewith of the fill pipe and materialdistributing means;

FIG. 5 is illustrated similarly to FIG. 4 showing the materialdistributing means in a changed position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken along the line 6-6 inFIG. 4;

FIG. 7 shows a modified form of the invention, illustrated similarly toFIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

With reference to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a silo,designated generally as 10, having a circular wall 11 to which issecured a dome shaped roof 12. The silo is of a well known air sealedtype known as Harvestore and manufactured by Harvestore Products, Inc.of Arlington Heights, Ill. The wall 11 is comprised of rectangularshaped longitudinal arcuate panel members 13 secured together by boltassemblies 14. The roof 12 includes a plurality of generally pie shapedpanels 16 having their inner or upper ends secured to a circular crownplate 18 formed with a central opening 19 that is normally closed by aremovable cover 21. The lower ends of the roof panels 16 are curveddownwardly for securement as by bolt assemblies 22 to the circular sidewall 11. One of the roof panels, indicated at 16A, has a circular airopening 23 which in the Harvestore silo is normally closed by a covermeans (not shown).

In filling the Harvestore silo 10 the central roof cover 21 is removedand a center fill pipe (not shown) is extended radially of the roof withits discharge or upper end inserted within the central opening 19. Thelower end of this center fill pipe is connectable to the delivery end ofa material conveyor tube such as that shown at 24 in FIG. 1. Theassembly of the center fill pipe and conveyor tube pipe 24 on the silo10 requires climbing up the silo wall and working on the roof.Especially in the wintertime such work can be dangerous. Also, since thecenter fill pipe has an open bottom side exposed to the atmosphere, silofilling under windy conditions usually results in an excessive waste ofmaterial due to the ensilage being blown from the fill pipe foraccumulation over the roof 12 or for dropping to the ground.

Such disadvantages presently encountered in such a silo fill operationare eliminated by the silo attachment of this invention, shown in FIGS.1 and 2, and including a fill pipe or guide way 26 and an air pipe 27.The guide way 26 is formed as an integral part of the roof panel,indicated at 16B, and the air pipe 26 has its upper end inserted withinthe roof opening 19 and secured in an air tight relation with the panel16a. From the opening 23 the air pipe 27 projects downwardly over theroof and along the outside of the silo wall 11 with its lower end 28conveniently accessible by standing on the ground surface.

The roof panel 16B is provided with a radial slot 29 (FIGS. 4 and 5)that extends from within the curved lower end of the panel 163 upwardlyto a position spaced from the central portion of the roof 12. The guideway 26 (-FIG. 6) is of an inverted channel shape and positioned withinthe slot 29 with its side faces or leg sections 31 adjacent the slotside walls for air tight connection therewith as by weldments. As shownin FIGS. 4 and 5 the leg sections 31 in a direction upwardly of the roof12 are progressively dropped greater distances within the slot 29 sothat the web section or upper face 32 of the fill pipe or guide way 26,at the discharge section 33 of the guide way is located within the siloand below the upper end wall 34 of the slot 29.

The guide way discharge section 33 terminates short of the roof centralportion.

The lower end 36 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of the guide way 26 projects outwardlyfrom the lower end of the slot 29 and terminates in a section 37 of atubular shape that extends downwardly a short distance along the outsideof the silo wall 11. The upper or delivery end 38 of the conveyor tube24 is connected by a connector ring 39 to the tubular section 37 of theguide way 26. The inlet end 41 (FIG. 1) of the conveyor tube 24 isconnectable to the outlet 42 of a material feeding unit 43 of a fan orblower type. It is to be understood that the conveyor tube 24 remainsconnected at all times to the guide way member 26, so as to formtherewith a continuous fill pipe.

Extended inwardly of the silo 10 from the guide way discharge section 33is a material distributing member 44 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) of an invertedU-shape in transverse cross section. Each leg or side section 46 of thedistributing member 44 is of a triangular shape having the hypotenuseedge 47 thereof projected inwardly of the silo from the lower edge 48 ofa corresponding leg section 31 of the guide way 26, and the oppositeside edge 48 thereof projected inwardly of the silo from the web section32 of the guide way 26. The leg sections 46 have their apex portions 49arranged in a straddling relation with the discharge section 33 of theguide way 26.

As best appears in FIG. 6 the distributing member 44 at the apexportions 51 of the leg sections 46 is pivotally connected at 52 to thedischarge section 33 of the guide way 26 so that the web section 53 ofthe distributing member 44 forms a continuous surface with the websection 32 of the guide way. The distributing member 44 is thuspivotally supported for up and down movement relative to the guide way26 to control the distribution within the silo of material ejected fromthe discharge section 33.

Pivotal movement of the distributing member 44 to vary the angularinclination of its web section 53 relative to the web section 32 of theguide way 26 is manually accomplished by a flexible actuator member 54having one end 56 (FIG. 5) connected to the web section 53. From its end56 the flexible member 54 is trained over a pulley 57 supported from thesilo roof 12 for extension through the roof opening 23 and the air pipe27 for connection of its other end 58 (FIG. 3) within the air pipeadjacent the lower end 28 thereof.

The lower end 28 of the air pipe is normally air sealed by a coverassembly 59 (FIG. 3) which includes a cover supporting ring 61 of aright angle shape in transverse section positioned about and secured asby welding to the air pipe 27 so that the vertical leg 62 of the ring 61projects downwardly from the terminal end 63 of the air pipe 27. A covermember 64 provided with an air sealing gasket 66 has the peripheralportion thereof in seated engagement on the lower face 67 of the leg 62,and is clamped thereagainst in a well-known manner by clamping levers 68which are pivotally mounted from the under side of the horizontal ringleg 69.

The lower end of the conveyor tube 24, similarly to the air pipe 27, isnormally closed by a cover assembly (not shown) which is similar inconstruction to the cover assembly 59 and assembled in like manner withthe lower or inlet end 41 of the conveyor tube 24.

When the silo is to be filled the cover assembly 59 is removed from thelower end 28 of the air pipe 27 and the distributor member 44 isadjusted in accordance with the type of material with which the silo 10is to be filled. For an ensilage or forage material the distributormember 44 is pivotally moved to its position shown in FIG.

5 wherein the web section 53 thereof is extended in substantiallongitudinal alignment with the web section 32 of the guide way 26. Aportion of such material is thus permitted to fall downwardly into thesilo from the open under side of the guide way 26 while other portionsthereof continue through the guide way 26 and distributing member 44 fordistribution about that side of the silo remote from the guide way 26.

If the silo 10 is to be filled with a heavy material, such as grain orthe like, the distributing member 44 is inclined downwardly relative tothe discharge section 33 of the guide way 26, as shown in FIG. 4, todirect such material downwardly over the central portion of the silo. Asis well-known a grain material will tend to pile up in a conical shapeso as to automatically distribute itself about the interior of the silo.

With the blower 43 connected to the conveyor tube 24 the filling of thesilo takes place. During such filling the silo is open to the atmospherethrough the air pipe 27 so as to eliminate any build up of air pressurein the silo. If it should be necessary to gauge the depth of thematerial to which the silo has been filled there is provided a gaugingapparatus which includes a weight 71 (FIGS. 4 and 5) suspended by ameasuring cable 72 supported from the silo roof 12 on a pulley 73 andextended therefrom through the air pipe 27 adjacent the actuator member54 for connection within the lower end 28 of the air pipe as indicatedat 74 in FIG. 3.

On completion of the filling operation the lower end of the air pipe 27is closed by the cover 64 and with a like cover being used to close thelower or inlet end 41 of the conveyor tube 24. The silo is thuscompletely air sealed to protect the material therein against spoilage.It is to be understood that in order to compensate for internal gaspressure changes within the silo the usual breather bags and airpressure relief valves may be provided in a manner well known. Thebreather bags are insertable in the silo through the central roofopening 19, which also provides for a visual inspection of the interiorof the silo when necessary.

The modified form of the silo attachment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 issimilar to the silo attachment described in connection with FIGS. l6,inclusive, except for the guide way or fill pipe having its lower end 81extended through the silo wall 11 below the silo roof 12. Similarnumerals of reference therefor will be used in FIGS. 7 and 8 todesignate like parts in FIGS. l-6.

The fill pipe 80 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is of an inverted channel shape intransverse cross section so as to have a base section 82 and dependingleg sections 83. A generally elbow shape adaptor 84 of a tubular shapein transverse cross section has an upper or inner end 86 projected intothe silo 10 through an opening 87 formed in the silo side wall 11 at aposition immediately below the silo roof 12. The outer or lower end 88of the adaptor 84 extends downwardly adjacent and to the outside of thesilo wall 11. An outwardly extended lateral flange 89 near the inner end86 of the adaptor is secured by bolts 91 in an air tight relation withthe silo wall 11, while the outer end 88 of the adaptor is connected bythe connector ring 39 to the delivery end 38 of the conveyor tube 24.

As best appears in FIG. 7 the inner end 86 of the adaptor 84 is receivedwithin the lower end 81 of the guide way 80 so that the leg sections 83at such lower end straddle the inner end 86 of the adaptor with the basesection 82 of the guide way supported on the adaptor. The base section82 at the upper end 92 of the guide way 80 is provided with oppositelydirected lateral flanges 93 which are secured to the underside of a roofpanel 16 by bolts 94. It is seen, therefore, that the adaptor 84constitutes a tubular downward extension of the guide way 80, that isconnectible with the delivery end 38 of the material conveyor tube 24.

The distributing member 44 is assembled with the guide way 80 in allrespects similar to its assembly with the guide way 26 to distributematerial over central portion of the silo, as shown in FIG. 4, or to oneside thereof, as shown in FIG. 5.

Although the invention has been described in connection with preferredembodiments thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be solimited since changes can be made therein which are within the fullintended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A silo filling attachment for a silo of air sealed type having acircular side wall and a dome shaped roof, comprising:

(a) a material guide way of an inverted channel shape extended radiallyof said silo roof with the upper end thereof terminating short of thecentral portion of the silo roof, said guide way having a lower endportion of a tubular shape in transverse section projected outwardlyfrom the silo and extended downwardly along the outside of said silowall,

(b) a material conveyor tube having a delivery end connected to saidlower end portion of the guide way, and a receiving end adjacent thebase of the silo,

(c) an air pipe having an upper end secured in air tight engagement withsaid roof and open to the inside of the silo, said air pipe arranged tothe outside of the silo with the lower end thereof open to theatmosphere adjacent the base of the silo,

(d) a first cover means for the lower end of said air pipe, and

(e) a second cover means for the receiving end of said conveyor tube,

(f) said first and second cover means being open when the silo is beingfilled and closed after the silo has been filled.

2. The silo filling attachment according to claim 1 including:

(a) a pivoted material distributor for the upper end of said guide way,

(b) means pivotally connecting said distributor to said upper end of theguide way for movement from a first position extended longitudinallyoutwardly from the said upper end to a second position tilted downwardlyfrom said upper end, and

(0) means for pivotally moving said distributor including a flexiblemember secured at one end of said distributor and extended through saidair pipe for connection of the other end thereof within the lower end ofthe said air pipe.

3. A silo filling attachment for a silo of air sealed type having acircular wall and a dome shape roof formed of a plurality of radiallyextended interlocked panel members comprising:

(a) a first panel member for said roof formed with a radial slot open tothe lower end of the panel and terminating adjacent the upper endthereof,

(b) a material guide Way of an inverted channel shape located withinsaid slot, with the upper end thereof located within the silo andterminating short of the central portion of the silo roof,

(c) a pivoted material distributor of an inverted channel shape extendedinwardly of the silo from the upper end of said guide way,

(d) means pivotally connecting said distributor on said upper end of theguide way for movement from a first position extended longitudinallyoutwardly from the guide way to a second position tilted downwardly fromthe guide way,

(e) an air pipe having an upper end secured in air tight engagement witha second panel member and open to the inside of the silo, said air pipearranged to the outside of the silo with the lower end thereof open tothe atmosphere adjacent the base of the silo,

(f) a removable cover means for the lower end of said air pipe,

(g) means for pivotally moving said distributor including a flexiblemember extended through said air pipe for attachment at one end to saiddistributor and attachment of the other end thereof to said air pipewithin the lower end thereof, and

(h) a connection at the lower end of said guide way for the delivery endof a material conveyor tube extended vertically to the outside of thesilo,

(i) said cover means being removed from the lower end of said air pipewhen the silo is being filled with material and said conveyor tubehaving the receivnig end thereof closed after the silo has been filled.

4. A silo filling attachment for a silo of air sealed type having acircular side wall .and a dome shaped roof comprising:

(a) a material guide way of an inverted channel shape,

(b) said roof having a radially extended portion formed with a radialslot for receiving said guide way, said slot extended from the lower endof said roof portion to a position spaced outwardly from the centralportion of the roof,

(0) said guide way positioned within said slot with the lower endthereof depending from the lower end of said roof portion and the upperend thereof projected radially inwardly of the silo from the upper endof said slot,

((1) means securing the guide way in air sealed engagement with the sidewalls of said slot,

(e) a connection at the lower end of said guide way for the delivery endof a material conveyor tube,

(f) an air pipe extended along the outside of the silo having an upperend projected over the roof,

(g) means connecting said upper end of the air pipe with the roof foropening into the silo,

(h) a cover means for the lower end of the air pipe,

and

(i) a cover means for the receiving end of the material conveyor tube,

(j) said two cover means being open in open positions therefor when thesilo is being filled.

5. The silo filling attachment according to claim 4 including:

(a) a pivoted material distributor for the upper end of said guide way,

(b) means pivotally connecting said distributor on said upper end of theguide way for movement from a first position extended longitudinallyoutwardly from the said upper end to a second position tilted downwardlyfrom said upper end, and

(c) means for pivotally moving said distributor including a flexiblemember secured at one end of said distributor and extended through saidair pipe for connection of the other end thereof within the lower end ofthe said air pipe.

6. A silo filling attachment for a silo of air sealed type having acircular side wall and a roof comprising:

(a) a material guide way of an inverted channel shape extended radiallyof said silo roof with the upper end-thereof terminating short of thecentral portion of the silo roof, said guide way having a lower endportion of a tubular shape in transverse section projected outwardlyfrom the silo and extended downwardly along the outside of said silowall,

(b) a material conveyor tube having a delivery end connected to saidlower end portion of the guide way, and a receiving end adjacent thebase of the silo,

(c) an air outlet in said roof open to the atmosphere,

((1) a cover means for said outlet, and

(e) a cover means for the receiving end of the material conveyor tube,

(f) said two cover means being in open positions therefor when the silois being filled.

7. A silo filling attachment for a silo of air sealed type having acircular side wall and a roof comprising:

(a) a material guide way of an inverted channel shape,

(b) a material conveyor tube having a receiving end and a delivery endprojected inwardly of said silo through an upper portion thereof,

(0) said material guide way located within and extended radially of saidsilo, with the inner end thereof spaced outwardly from the centralportion of the roof,

(d) means connecting the outer end of said material guide way with thedelivery end of said material 10 conveyor tube, (e) an air outlet insaid roof open to the atmosphere, (f) a cover means for said outlet, and

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,540 10/1917 Merwin 3O2--6O11/1967 Boppart et a1. 302-60 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

